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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for August 19, 2016
Posted: 19 Aug 2016 15:36:54
This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office of Communications. You may need to sign in or register with individual websites to view some of the following news articles. CAP AND TRADE California Climate Program Faces Uncertain Future Beyond 2020. The opinion of lawyers working for California’s lawmakers became clear in the spring. Without new laws, the state’s prominent cap-and-trade program would be dead after 2020. Such a legal reality could put an end to the pollution reduction program… https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/08/18/california-climate-program-faces-uncertain-future-beyond-2020/ AIR POLLUTION Correction: Harley-Defeat Device story. In a story Aug. 19 about Harley-Davidson's $15 million air-pollution settlement with federal regulators, The Associated Press reported erroneously the reason more than 12,000 motorcycles had been found out of compliance with federal clean air regulations. The bikes were in violation because they were sold without required environmental certifications… http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HARLEY_DEFEAT_DEVICE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT OTHER RELATED STORIES http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-harley-davidson-lawsuit-idUSKCN10T1JP http://www.wsj.com/articles/harley-davidson-to-pay-15-million-to-settle-emissions-charge-1471534284 http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-harley-davidson-air-pollution-20160819-snap-story.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article96422717.html Valley air quality suffers at the hand of fires. Wildland fires burning around the state are worsening air quality in the Central Valley, officials with the pollution control district said Thursday. Atypical high particulate matter and ozone levels around the Valley prompted air officials to release a health caution statement for the entire Central Valley. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/local/2016/08/18/valley-air-quality-suffers-hand-fires/88960342/ Another 'Spare the Air' alert issued for today. Smoke from California wildfires affecting Pleasanton, Bay Area. An unhealthy level of air pollution forecast for the Bay Area. today prompted the Bay Area Air Quality District to issue this summer's 18th Spare the Air Alert. Light winds and smoke from California wildfires combined with motor vehicle exhaust are expected… http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/2016/08/19/another-spare-the-air-alert-issued-for-today Cloth masks not very effective in offering protection against air pollution, study shows. Results of a new study by environmental health scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggest that inexpensive cloth masks worn by people who hope to reduce their exposure to air pollution vary widely in effectiveness and could be giving users a false sense of security, especially in highly polluted areas. http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160819/Cloth-masks-not-very-effective-in-offering-protection-against-air-pollution-study-shows.aspx http://phys.org/news/2016-08-masks-poor-air-pollution.html How the 2015 waterfront labor dispute triggered more pollution at the Port of Los Angeles. A labor feud at West Coast ports not only interrupted the economy last year, it stalled the Port of Los Angeles’ progress in making the air easier to breathe. Emissions of smog-forming nitrogen oxide linked to respiratory problems increased 1 percent last year as trucks idled for 3.2 million hours at the docks. http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20160818/how-the-2015-waterfront-labor-dispute-triggered-more-pollution-at-the-port-of-los-angeles CLIMATE CHANGE Gassy Ponds May Hold Key to Alberta’s Oil-Sands Emissions Battle. Alberta’s battle to reduce oil sands’ greenhouse gas emissions is taking aim at one of the industry’s biggest environmental bugaboos: tailings ponds. While producers have focused on curbing methane from drilling operations, the ponds, designed to hold residue from mining operations… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-OBNU626JIJUY01-6MB11UD0OA9K3FHVAOPFBVLNBN Reeling From Effects of Climate Change, Alaskan Village Votes to Relocate. Residents of a small Alaskan village voted this week to relocate their entire community from a barrier island that has been steadily disappearing because of erosion and flooding attributed to climate change. In the unofficial results of an election on Tuesday in the village, Shishmaref, residents voted 89 to 78 to leave. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/20/us/shishmaref-alaska-elocate-vote-climate-change.html?_r=0 Exxon Mobil Fraud Inquiry Said to Focus More on Future Than Past. For more than a year, much of the public scrutiny of Exxon Mobil was captured by the #Exxonknew hashtag — shorthand for revelations about decades-old research on climate change conducted by the company while it funded groups promoting doubt about climate science. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/20/science/exxon-mobil-fraud-inquiry-said-to-focus-more-on-future-than-past.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=d9ab32cd67-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-d9ab32cd67-327747457 Clean tech leaders try to put a business-friendly spin on climate change policies. Mark Bauhaus used to make a point of avoiding Sacramento. Like other technology executives, he saw state politics as nothing more than a drag on Silicon Valley’s freewheeling innovation. Yet this month he was walking the halls of the Capitol, wearing an advocacy group’s pin on his suit jacket… http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-business-climate-change-20160819-snap-story.html Land-clearing laws' failure jeopardises climate change targets, says minister. Stephen Miles says targets harder to reach as Climate Council, WWF and Wilderness Society predict ‘panic clearing’. Australia’s prospects of meeting its climate change targets have suffered a crucial blow with the failure of land-clearing reforms in Queensland, the state’s environment minister and conservationists say. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/aug/19/land-clearing-laws-failure-jeopardises-climate-change-targets-says-minister California's Blue Cut fire: climate change dismissed as 'excuse' on the ground. The fire has ripped through communities with alarming velocity but many caught up in the flames have shrugged off claims that global warming is to blame. James Webb huddled on the hill with his dog and watched the fire advance… https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/18/blue-cut-fire-growth-climate-change-california-wildfires?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=d9ab32cd67-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-d9ab32cd67-327747457 DROUGHT California remains in severe drought, but mandatory water cuts still off. The orange-and-black automated signs lining state highways still warn that California is in severe drought, but Californians this summer are getting a second chance to show whether they can save water without the state ordering them. After lifting nine months of mandatory state water conservation… http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/08/18/california-remains-in-severe-drought-but-mandatory-water-cuts-still-off.html DIESEL ACTIVITIES Cruise ships start to come under scrutiny as massive pollution machines. While increased pressure on carmakers to improve emissions continues, regulators and environmental groups are also scrutinizing over forms of transportation-related emissions. Cruise ships regularly depart major ports with thousands of passengers onboard… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1105654_cruise-ships-start-to-come-under-scrutiny-as-massive-pollution-machines Emissions-Free Refrigeration Unit Project Gets $400K Grant. Renewable energy solutions company eNow has received a $400,000 grant from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to deploy its solar panel refrigeration solution in the area’s transportation networks. The proposed project is meant to demonstrate an electric replacement for truck refrigeration units. http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2016/08/emissions-free-refrigeration-unit-project-recieves-400k-grant.aspx VEHICLES Electric car bill gets unplugged. A hasty attempt to boost electric vehicle sales in California – an idea the governor likes – died in the final days of the legislative session amid intense lobbying and fast-approaching deadlines. The plan called for 15 percent of cars sold in California by 2025 to be Zero Emission Vehicles, or ZEVs. That means they must be all-electric, or even all hydrogen-powered, but not plug-in. http://capitolweekly.net/electric-car-bill-unplugged/ Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, 2017 Audi A4 Ultra, truck emissions rules: Today's Car News. Today, we have details on the electric Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept and 2017 Audi A4 Ultra, as well as new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions rules for heavy-duty trucks. All this and more on Green Car Reports. The all-electric Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept hints at the German luxury brand's future product plans. http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1105662_vision-mercedes-maybach-6-2017-audi-a4-ultra-truck-emissions-rules-todays-car-news Hydrogen cost could equal 50-cent gasoline, with renewable energy: study. Hydrogen fuel-cell cars face an uphill battle toward mass adoption. Both cars and fueling infrastructure need to be made widely available before large numbers of consumers can seriously consider switching from gasoline to hydrogen. But under certain circumstances, hydrogen could prove very attractive… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1105642_hydrogen-cost-could-equal-50-cent-gasoline-with-renewable-energy-study VW RECALL VW Halts German Production on Unprecedented Move by Supplier. Volkswagen AG factories in Germany are grinding to a halt after a supplier took the unprecedented step of cutting off the automaker as the two battle in court and engage in a public war of words about who’s to blame for the impasse. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-19/vw-s-german-production-at-risk-as-supplier-spat-sparks-slowdown Lawyers in Volkswagen Case Steer Toward Bosch. Documents from the car maker describing Robert Bosch GmbH’s work are heavily cited in court brief. Lawyers seeking compensation for owners of cars affected by Volkswagen AG’s emissions-cheating scandal are turning up the pressure on auto-parts supplier Robert Bosch GmbH, and they are getting assistance from an unexpected corner: Volkswagen. http://www.wsj.com/articles/lawyers-in-volkswagen-case-steer-toward-bosch-1471553504 Volkswagen Supplier Played Key Role in Cheating, Court Papers Say. The German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH played a key role in developing the software that let Volkswagen cheat on clean air rules, according to new allegations filed in a San Francisco court on behalf of car owners. Bosch, which supplied the computer that controlled Volkswagen diesel engines… http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/19/business/international/volkswagen-supplier-played-key-role-in-cheating-court-papers-say.html GREEN ENERGY A Danish Wind Turbine Maker Harnesses Data in a Push to Stay Ahead. A project to install hundreds of wind turbines in the Fosen peninsula area of Norway at one point was shelved as unfeasible. The strong breezes that whip off the sea can shift and swing unpredictably, while the soaring cliffs and steep drop-offs create turbulence that wears out expensive equipment. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/19/business/energy-environment/denmark-vestas-wind-renewable-energy.html?_r=1 SDG&E shareholders and green groups headed for face-off? Utility lobbying arm cleared by regulators to oppose increasingly popular government-run electricity program. Regional environmental groups and some elected officials are bracing for a battle with San Diego Gas & Electric’s shareholders over increasingly popular programs that put local governments — not utility companies — in charge of how much renewable energy residents can buy. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/aug/18/cpuc-clears-sdge-cca-lobbying/ Apple Moves One Step Closer To 100% Renewable Electricity Worldwide. Apple announced this week that it has moved one step closer towards its goal of being 100% renewable energy powered, with two big pieces of news. Not only are all Apple final assembly sites now zero waste compliant… http://cleantechnica.com/2016/08/18/apple-moves-one-step-closer-100-renewable-energy-worldwide/ University Of California Buying Power From 60 MW Solar Project. The University of California (UC) has announced the completion of the Five Points Solar Park, a 60 MW solar installation built to supply renewable energy to the university. The array’s output represents roughly 14% of the total UC system’s electricity usage… http://solarindustrymag.com/university-of-california-buying-power-from-60-mw-solar-project GE is building America's first offshore wind farm with turbines twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty. The US uses an astounding amount of energy: about 97 quadrillion BTUs, or about 18% of world's total energy consumption. And demand is only going to increase over time. The majority of the energy the country generates — which powers America's homes… http://www.businessinsider.com/ge-building-wind-turbine-farm-at-block-island-2016-8 OPINIONS Enlist the Market in the Climate-Change Fight. Standardized disclosure of climate risk will help secure long-term value for investors and taxpayers. Even before the devastating flooding began in Louisiana last week, and we learned that July 2016 shattered all global temperature records, mounting data had demonstrated the growing risks climate change poses to the global economy. http://www.wsj.com/articles/enlist-the-market-in-the-climate-change-fight-1471561052 Are Solar Firms Too Big to Scale? We all know that being big just works. When you have more money, more people, more markets, you get more power and greater efficiencies and you win. But what if it doesn't always work that way? The big three residential solar companies -- SolarCity, Sunrun and Vivint Solar -- lead in a high-growth industry. https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2016-08-18/solar-firms-may-be-too-big-to-scale Redding should take lead on solar energy. We just got from REU a slick pamphlet: "Are You a Good Candidate for Solar?" After a long list of positives to get a rebate, etc., at the end is a Catch-22. "Some restrictions apply. Solar application approval subject to availability of circuit capacity in your area to carry additional solar installations. http://www.redding.com/opinion/speak-your-piece/redding-should-take-lead-on-solar-energy-3a5c522d-afcf-6262-e053-0100007f351c--390602281.html The Biggest California Water Decision You’ve Never Heard Of. Many of California’s farmers, facing severe water cutbacks yet again this year, are blaming the hand they’ve been dealt on environmental protections for endangered fish. The protections limit how much water can be taken up by the huge pumps that serve much of the state. https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/08/19/the-biggest-california-water-decision-youve-never-heard-of/ BLOGS Floods, Wildfires, Extreme Heat: Is The Climate Fighting Back Against The Fossil Fuel Industry? One of the supposed truisms about climate change is that it isn’t “fair.” The places undergoing the most ruinous impact share little of the blame for damaging the climate, while the big emitters manage to sidestep most of the harm. This notion was based on assumptions that rising seas or warming temperatures… http://www.forbes.com/sites/thebakersinstitute/2016/08/19/floods-wildfires-extreme-heat-is-the-climate-fighting-back-against-the-fossil-fuel-industry/#68e771c35263 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.